Scoring Races

[Russ Williamson]

Recently at the World Tunnel Hull Championships the scoring was done with the top 5 going to an "A" main. The next in-line ran in the B-main. Winner of the B goes on to race in the "A" main. I understand why it was done at this race and the CMB club did a great job with this format.

When I first heard you had to qualify for the A-main to have a chance of winning the class I thought this would be very cool!! Racing 1/8 on-road nitro cars for many years, 1/12 scale electrics, 1/8 off-road, etc., etc. This all brought back the stragety (sort of) for doing what it takes to get in the A-main. Instead of most laps done in the fastest time, just build enough points to make it to the A.

Now when I first started to boat race 4 years ago and racing for most points, was not sure what I thought of this, until I did it. The build up of drama to the last round of heat racing over the entire boat event is awesome. Having "run-offs" are also very fun. Been involved in several and that is an unique opportunity that we have.

As you can tell, I like our format in NAMBA and IMPBA for the winners being decided based on most points at the end of the last round. I don't like the A/B main format for boat racing. What was/is established works great! It is unique in the hobby and hope it stays around for a long time.

Just wanted to share my thoughts about this. Lets go racing!!!!!

Thanks,

Russ

 

[Ronald van Essen]

Russ, and the other guys of course,

Its the WORLDchampionships. So it means who ever wins must be a person who can do well under all kinds of conditions and is consistent.

Meaning running boats in calm or very choppy water, in warm or cold conditions, no stress in a heat of 8 boats and during the main A.

Therefore I think its legitimate to qualify with high scoring points to go to the main A and there battle it out in one final heat to see who is the real champion. Of course if you screw up in that final heat, thats too bad, but hey, as said. finishing and scoring , thats what racing is all about.

I think its a nice system.

Ronald.

 

[P THOMAS]

The scale hydro racer have done the main final for years. There is a different plan racing the heats to get in to the final, nice to be top qualifier but if you make the final you have a good chance for the first place.

I have seen alot of finals that were exciting and close racing, but there ave been a few that were complete disasters.

I kind of love the A main final race plan or hate it

 

[moparbarn]

i like the a/b main format for BIG events. with a race weekend like the tunnel champs, you may not race ALL the other drivers in your class, during the heats. the a/b main has the top points scorers racing against each other, ensuring the best drivers on that weekend settle things amongst themselves. with a points only system, the better drivers may never face each other.........for a district race weekend that's ok, but for the WORLD championship, not cool, imho.

 

[lohring]

The advantage of the A/B Main system, called the "love plan" in model boating, is that the best racers will almost always end up racing each other in the final (A Main). The advantage of the high points system is that it rewards preparation and consistency. Currently, scale classes and Classic Thinderboats run the Love Plan, while all others run the high points system. I think racing in the larger classes would be improved with the "love plan". That way several racers that end up with identical scores at the end of heat racing would face each other rather than having the contest decided by high speed or time consuming runoffs.

Lohring Miller

 

[HTV Boats]

I am surprised that coming from cars Russ is not for the "mains" system. Well we do need these experienced opinions. Key here to me is number of heats and classes with 40+ boats. If we cut down the field after 3 heats by 50% (64 to 32) the field would get 5 in with no extra heats. Many options will work and I cannot see this race not going to 3 days. Still I like the one last go for it winner take all. Add to that the B step up that did win (David Ashmore) it makes for a chance right to the last lap. Racing to me is not taking an average it is who can put it all together at one appointed time. Run the same main heats over 3 times and you might get 3 different winers. My vote is still with the "Mains". My son had 2 classes perfect scores and blew both mains not making it to the line. TQ and no championship. The winners deserve their titles. (till next year)

 

[Russ Williamson]

I don't mind the "mains", just prefer another round of racing for everybody. Mains are fun, just did that for some many years I like the uniqueness of the heat racing. Heck, I'm glad we had it for this race as it turned out

Another topic about the mains are how the scoring works. It was strange how the finishing order of the main event reverted back to points, instead of finishing order in the mains. Maybe that is not strange, just a lot different than I thought it would be.

Also, for mains, be great if everybody ran in a main. Meaning E..D..C...B, then A. Winners of each main keep bumping up to the next main. This would give everybody another round and a chance to keep moving up.....just food for thought......

Thanks,

Rw

I am surprised that coming from cars Russ is not for the "mains" system. Well we do need these experienced opinions. Key here to me is number of heats and classes with 40+ boats. If we cut down the field after 3 heats by 50% (64 to 32) the field would get 5 in with no extra heats. Many options will work and I cannot see this race not going to 3 days. Still I like the one last go for it winner take all. Add to that the B step up that did win (David Ashmore) it makes for a chance right to the last lap. Racing to me is not taking an average it is who can put it all together at one appointed time. Run the same main heats over 3 times and you might get 3 different winers. My vote is still with the "Mains". My son had 2 classes perfect scores and blew both mains not making it to the line. TQ and no championship. The winners deserve their titles. (till next year)

 

[Richie R]

I guess I liked it. It is cool to race against the best drivers for the winner take all. You still have to race hard to make it to the A main. But a lot of times you never get to race against all of the other racers all weekend so this is kind of cool. I hope they have it next year. I will be back next year, maybe I can do better with my other boats. :lol:

Richie R

 

[HTV Boats]

I guess cutting back to 3 heats may have changed the mains slightly. I also wish we could run 4-5 heats when time allows. In the end as Richie said racing the best of the best is what its all about. Not sure how scoring went. Maybe at some point the CMB can release all the heat racing points as it was hard to keep track with trying to get multple boats ready.

 

[Grimracer]

Thinking...

Running rounds.. you are racing the best of the best.. Round after round after round... Those people might not be in your heat and whey they are not you got to jump on your A game and match them Heat for heat..

I can not count how many times I had to match a heat win with Erine. If I did not pull out my best game in my heat.. I got beat..

I think our RC boating style of heat race scoring is one of the things that makes RC boating so much fun..

maybe it helps to ask yourself.. Does the AB format make our boating better?... Me.. Just me.. I say na..... just differet..

ROCK ON RACERS.. again.. fantastic job by the CMB and a HUGE thanks to Mic and the gang for a great hull.

Grim